Headrail bracket



May 6, 1941. 1 F. J. BURNS HEADRAIL BRACKET Filed Nov. 6, 1959 Patented May 6, 1941 lTE STATES T FFIQE HEADRAIL BRACKET Fred J. Burns, Saginaw, Mich, assignor to The Columbia Milk, Inc., Saginaw, Mich.

Claims.

This invention relates generally to brackets and more particularly to a bracket for supporting and releasably securing the conventional headrail in position.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to design a self-locking headrail bracket of simple and practical construction on which a headrail can be readily mounted and which automatically locks said headrail in position against accidental removal.

Another object is to design a headrail bracket which releasably and automatically locks the headrail in position, which is shaped and designed to harmonize with the facia, and in which the locking member can be readily operated to permit the easy and quick removal of said headrail.

A further object is to design a stamped headra-il bracket which can be easily and quickly installed, and which is composed of few parts, all of which can be economically manufactured, assembled and mounted. i

The above objects and further features and advantages will fully appear in the specification and accompanying drawing in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views thereof.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing a conventional Venetian blind mounted in a window opening with my improved bracket in position and supporting the headrail, the facia board being broken away to show the tilt and headrail.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front view showing a bracket and headrail, the facia board being eliminated.

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the latch being shown in locked position, the broken lines showing the facia swung upwardly preparatory to removal.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 and showing the latch swung to position to permit removal of the headrail.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric View of the latch member and mounting.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown one embodiment of my invention in connection with a Venetian blind, the reference character 6 representing a window frame or the like, and to which the brackets I, which form the subj matter of this invention, are secured by means of screws (not shown) in the usual manner, said brackets being preferably formed of sheet metal, punched to proper shape, the upper end being turned horizontally to form an overhanging leg 8, and the back edge is turned in a similar manner to form a flange 9, openings I Ii being punched in the side wall and said flange to facilitate securing the bracket to either a side or back wall when necessary. The upper leg 8 serves as a guide for the headrail II and also prevents jumping of the headrail when the blind is operated in a violent manner.

A horizontally disposed angularly shaped strip I2 is welded or otherwise secured to the main body of the bracket at a predetermined point,

and forms the support or shelf on which the end of the headrail is supported.

The forward end of the shelf I2 is shaped as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawing, the turned edges I'3 forming projecting legs in which openings I4 are provided and acentrally disposed forwardly projecting tongue I5 is formed integral with the shelf I2, the free end of said tongue being bent downwardly and horizontally as at It and for a purpose to be presently described.

A latch member IT is mounted on the legs I3 which project from the shelf I2, said latch being formed with laterally projecting wings I8, and these wings are rotatably mounted in the openings I4 provided in the legs I3. The upper end of the latch is bent inwardly as shown at I9, this bent portion or jaw overhanging the tongue I5, so that when the latch is swung to position as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, the jaw section I9 will be flush with and form an extension of the shelf I2, permitting free removal of the head rail from the bracket. The lower end of the latch is bent outwardly as shown at Ila and the lower end forms a stop to prevent inward swingingof the facia board F when the facia is detachably mounted on the headrail by means of the securing devices D.

Normally the latch I I hangs vertically as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and When it is desired to mount the headrail on the brackets, no hand manipulation of the latch is necessary, because when the lower edge of the head-rail is placed on the shelf, it bears against the turned end of the latch, swinging it down fiush with the face of the shelf, and the headrail is then slid inwardly against the upturned end 2I of the shelf which forms a stop. The front edge of the headrail is now clear of the latch which automatically swings back to vertical position and the headrail is now locked in position, the inner edge of the latch swinging against the end l6 of the tongue I and limiting the inward swing of the upper end of said latch, and the lower end l'la of the latch ll prevents inward swinging of the facia board.

When desiring to remove the blind for cleaning the window, repair, or adjustment of the blind, it is merely necessary to swing the lower end of the latch out and upwardly to bring the jaw section l9 flush with the face of the shelf, and the blind is then free for removal.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, inexpensive, practical, and convenient self-locking bracket for mounting Venetian blinds and the like.

What I claim is:

1. In a Venetian blind associated with a frame and having a headrail disposed adjacent the frame and supporting the blind, retaining means supported by the frame and including a shelf, a vertically disposed latch member pivotally mounted at a point intermediate its length to swing inwardly toward the headrail, the upper end of said latch member projecting about the face of the shelf to prevent removal of said rail, said latch being operable to swing the projecting upper end flush with the face of said shelf to permit unobstructed removal of said headrail.

2. In a Venetian blind associated with a frame and having a headrail disposed adjacent the frame and supporting the blind, brackets supported by the frame and including a horizontally disposed shelf, a vertically disposed latch member pivotally mounted on the shelf and arranged to swing inwardly toward the headrail with the upper end of the latch projecting above the face of the shelf to lock the headrail in position, said latch being operable to swing the projecting end inwardly and downwardly and flush with the face of the shelf to permit unobstructed removal of said headrail.

3. In a Venetian blind associated with a frame, and having a headrail disposed adjacent the frame and supporting the blind, brackets mounted on the frame and having a horizontal shelf, a vertically disposed latch pivotally mounted on the bracket with its upper end projecting above the face of the shelf to lock the headrail in position thereon, a depressed tongue on the shelf, said latch being operable to swing the projecting end inwardly and downwardly and into contact with said tongue to permit fre removal of said headrail.

4. A supporting bracket for Venetian blinds and comprising a stamped bracket having a horizontally disposed shelf and an overhanging leg adapted to accommodate the headrail of a blind therebetween, a vertically disposed latch member pivotally mounted at a point intermediate its length on the forward end of the shelf with its upper end projecting above the face of said shelf to look a headrail in position, said latch member being operable to swing its upper end inwardly and downwardly to bring it flush with and form an extension of the shelf to permit the removal of said headrail, and means for limiting the swinging movement of said latch.

5. A stamped Venetian blind bracket including a horizontally disposed shelf adapted to support and accommodate the headrail of a blind, an overhanging leg on said bracket, a stop on the back edge of the shelf, a vertically disposed latch member pivotally mounted on the outer edge of the shelf, and formed with an inwardly bent section extending above the face of said shelf, a depressed tongue projecting from the outer end of said shelf, said latch being operable to swing the bent section downwardly and against said tongue to permit unobstructed removal of the head rail, and means for limiting inward swinging of the lower end of the latch.

FRED J. BURNS. 

